Developer: Truant Pixel, LLC
Genres: Shooter game, Adventure game, Indie game, Adventure
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows, Xbox Series X and Series S
Publishers: Perp Games, Perpetual Europe
Bright explosions, film static, and adorable anime females. The eighties are returning.
Rogue Flight is a completely new rail shooter that is comparable to the Star Fox series. Except instead of furries, we have old-school anime characters. Nadia (who reminds me of Noa Izumi from Patlabor) is the last pilot remaining in humanity’s resistance, and it is up to her to rescue the day.
Humans constructed ARGUS, an artificial intelligence that quickly turned rogue and took control all of humanity’s automated systems. After uncovering a prototype starfighter in a clandestine military base, humanity’s best chance at freedom lies in Nadia’s hands.
Our first impression of Rogue Flight is based on its opening cinematic and plot. Admittedly, a narrative about a rogue AI taking control isn’t particularly novel, but it can be told in so many different ways that it’s practically a genre classic. So let us set that aside.
The human opposition has discovered a clandestine military station called Bow, which houses the experimental spacecraft named Arrow. As Nadia, the player is the only one in the resistance who can pilot Arrow and save humanity.
Players are guided via three paths: Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. Each has a unique tale and a series of stages to complete. For my first playthrough, I chose the more ambitious Gamma route, which has Nadia travel to Io, Umbriel, and Saturn on a one-way mission of destruction against ARGUS.
Each segment is punctuated by fully voiced sequences that bring us closer to Nadia and her support crew back on Earth. The sequences are partially animated with 3D renderings, with Nadia largely flying through space and dealing with her own self-reflections.
I’ve played a variety of bullet hells, from Touhou to Darius, and the most crucial aspect for me is clearly telegraphing attacks. Unfortunately, I think this is the poorest element of Rogue Flight. Enemies and bullets merge into the background, sacrificing clarity for immersion.
I felt the adversaries and boss fights were visually appealing, but I couldn’t always tell what I was shooting at or whether I was doing any harm. Combine this with the most common opponent assault, a narrow red-black laser that is difficult to see (especially on the lava stage), and it can be irritating.
The game does include some forgiving techniques to compensate for the fact that you will almost certainly take damage. First, your health regenerates when you combo foes, and the majority of bosses have smaller adversaries that emerge in waves during their rotation. This allows players to recover from mistakes. The other technique is the barrel roll. There is no disadvantage to simply spamming it; it is not the most immersive method, as it appears funny to spam barrel roll, but it is really useful. Especially since there aren’t many i-frames after being hit, a barrage of gunfire or a laser can swiftly reduce your health.
There are also a number of weapons, and the basic weapon is sufficient for completing the game (and I found no unlockable weapons on my first playtime). In fact, another thing Rogue Flight should do better is inform you that you can upgrade your ship mid-campaign. I completed the first five stages using the default loadout, then on the fifth stage, I noticed I had certain improvements unlocked. My mobility improved dramatically, and I boosted my shields by 50% and shield regen by 600% (if I read the upgrade correctly). It made a significant difference, which I probably could have used sooner.
Despite my criticisms, it’s still an enjoyable rail shooter. Comboing foes and utilizing your special to wipe out horizontal lines of them is satisfying, and as you progress, you learn each enemy type and how to prioritize them (kill dudes who shoot lasers first). The music has a great synth tone that complements the game’s retro anime theme.
The game allows you to choose decals, trim colors, and even your callsign. The majority of them may be unlocked just by going through the tale once.
In addition to the tale, there is a New Game+ mode and a roguelike mode in which you only have one life and must pick up thrilling improvements along the route in order to achieve a high score, increasing the game’s replayability.
Review Overview
Gameplay: 84%
Controls: 81%
Aesthetics: 86%
Content: 79%
Accessibility: 77%
Value: 82%
Overall: 82%
VERY GOOD!
Summary:
Rogue Flight soars with thrilling dogfights, refined controls, and immersive sci-fi graphics that entice players into intense, high-stakes engagements. The game’s fast-paced combat is blended with strategic features, making each mission unique and entertaining. While a more detailed storyline and extra material could enhance its complexity, Rogue Flight remains a compelling experience for action fans. With its hard tasks and amazing sights, it’s an exciting voyage for any player looking to control the sky.